Los Angeles

Husband Arrested in Slayings of Wife, Infant Son

A wanted bulletin described the man as "bipolar, possible suicidal and under the influence of methamphetamines."

A man wanted in the killings of his wife and 2-month-old son was arrested Friday morning hours after the victims were discovered at a South Los Angeles apartment.

Algernon Rieux, 26, was caught by Los Angeles Police Department Harbor Division officers following Thursday's fatal attack at a home on South Normandie Avenue in South Los Angeles. He was caught at around 2 a.m. in the San Pedro area, where detectives previously said he has connections..

He was handed over to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and booked on $1.04 million bail at around 5 a.m., according to jail records. The records did not indicate a scheduled court date.

The search began Thursday afternoon after law enforcement officers arrived at the South LA home and found someone performing CPR on a baby on the porch. Neighbors said Rieux's mother went to the house earlier to make sure he was going to show up to court for a domestic violence charge. When she got there, he ran out with his baby Joshua's body in his arms, handed him to his mother and ran.

His mother was the person who tried to resuscitate the infant, officials said. The baby boy died, and the infant's mother was found dead inside the apartment.

Neighbors identified the slain woman as 25-year-old Jacquelyn Rieux, but the coroner did not release the woman's name as of Thursday evening.

Neighbor Clevette Foxworth said the husband had a history of violence against her, but she was convinced he would change.

"He went to jail last year for choking her. If it wasn't for the girl who called police last year she would've been gone," Foxworth said. "She would be like, 'I just want him to get some help.' I guess she was really in love with him. She believed he would change."

"It's sad to think that yesterday would be the last time for me to see her. It's just sad," Foxworth added.

The bulletin issued after the slayings also described Rieux as "bipolar, possible suicidal and under the influence of methamphetamines."

Anyone with information should call the sheriff's department homicide bureau at 323-890-5500.

Christina CoccaMichael LarkinAsher Klein and Gadi Schwartz contributed to this report.

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